eBooks @ Memorial Library

1) SUNY Cortland purchases at a library rate through Gobi and are limited to the publishers who collaborate with Gobi. We have contracts with EBSCOhost and ProQuest Ebook Central. SUNY Cortland purchases e-books allowing multiple users to read them at once (known as concurrent user licensing). While it's convenient for students to gain access, this also increases cost.

3) As a SUNY member we have access to some e-book titles not in our collection by placing an interlibrary loan request. However, due to "fair use" policies and publisher guidelines (see Proquest's policies), users may only request chapters.

While some major publishers are willing to work with libraries, others have historically placed restrictions on library e-book purchases, such as embargoes/windowing, high costs, or purchase time limits.

• Embargo/"Windowing": This policy meant that libraries could only purchase one copy of a new release and only one user at a time could check it out.
• Cost Restrictions & Time Limits: Libraries typically pay more for e-book access than individuals, and there is a time-limit (ex. a 2 year license). Yearly price increases for scholarly e-books and journal articles have outpaced inflation.

Sources: American Library Association; Publisher's Weekly; Research Information